1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling a transfer device pivotally mounted on a harvesting machine so that it can pivot about both a vertical axis and about a horizontal axis, in which the transfer device is automatically pivoted from an actual position to another position on a supporting member for the transfer device, which is mounted on the harvesting machine. Furthermore the invention relates to an appropriate apparatus for suitable control of the transfer device and a harvesting machine with this sort of controller.
2. Description of the Related Art
Self-powered harvesting machines, such as choppers, harvester threshers, sugarcane harvesting machines and the like, usually have a transfer device, e.g. an ejector chute, a corn storage unit discharge device, a conveyor chain or a conveyor belt. The harvested goods are loaded from the harvesting machine onto a transporting vehicle standing or traveling beside it by means of this transfer device. For this purpose the transfer device is positioned by swinging it about both a vertical axis and a horizontal axis into its working position so that the ejected or traveling stream of goods reaches the desired position in the transporting vehicle. The transfer device usually extends laterally from the transporting vehicle. This is not a problem for the harvesting machine on an open field within individual application areas. However lateral extension of the transfer device is not acceptable for safety reasons during travel on an open street to and from the location where it is used because the traveling apparatus is oversized. For street travel the transfer device must be brought into a street travel position, in which the transfer device is usually pivoted to the rear. In order to maintain a permitted vehicle reliable height on the street the transfer device must also be pivoted downward. Standard harvesting machines thus have a supporting member, for example, a supporting or carrying clip, in their rear region, on which the transfer device rests in the street travel position.
The driver usually moves the transfer device to the supporting member for travel in the street travel position. For this purpose the transfer device is swung about its vertical axis and then lowered as soon as the transfer device is over the supporting member. The driver must continuously observe the transfer device and take care that the transfer device is placed gently in the correct position without e.g. damaging the transfer device or the supporting member. It is not good that the region to be observed by the driver during this process is behind the driver's compartment, so that simultaneous observation and control of the transfer device is extremely inconvenient. Moreover it is difficult to position the transfer device exactly over the supporting member, so that no position corrections regarding pivoting about the vertical axis are required during the lowering.
A control device for an ejector chute has already been described in DE 44 03 893 A1, in which the driver can swing the transfer device into three different positions—a working position on the left side, a working position on the right side and a third position above the supporting member—by means of a simple rotary switch. This rotary-switch only rotates the control valve for horizontal pivoting of the transfer device. The driver must then carefully manually lower the transfer device to the supporting member, as before, and observe the transfer device.